Ramb's World 1993 by Rebekah S. Palmer

 

Our latest prompt was to write a story based on a song!! We were all very excited about this, and first up we have Rebekah's story. We really hope you find something in this read and enjoy it. If you could comment we would be so appreciative. And if you like our stories, please share with a friend!! :) Thank you so, so much. <3 

Trigger Warning: adult name-calling repeated by the children in this story

Ramb's World 1993

 Pushing my feet down on my bike pedals, I gain enough traction to coast down our cul-de-sac road from our gravel driveway. Randy, Taylor, and Kevin are already making laps around the smaller circle of our road. The circle where the ditches are covered with left-over tar used to repair our road a year ago, which makes that circle a special place for us to ride our bikes faster and gives us some air time on one or no wheels.

     The leaf colors of the trees are golden and burned orange, and the sumac is scarlet, as if it would blaze in fire. A grey house with white shutters peeks through autumn foliage on the half side of the small circle. 

     

     "My dad says dirty crotch-lickers live there," Taylor is saying, as if only his father would know these facts about the neighbors in their homes.

     "So?" Randy counters, "I'm not afraid of a couch-licker!"

     "C-r-r-r-otch licker!!!" Kevin sing-songs with his voice back at Randy.

     The boys start daring each other to ring the doorbell or knock on the door. I am silent as they know my dad is a deacon at a church and to say "crotch" would be impolite. Besides, my face tells all as it has turned several shades of pink to counter the nearby sumac reds. I trail behind the boys on my bike.

     "Let's park our bikes and play in the woods," announces Kevin, "Ramb looks embarrassed!" Kevin liked to needle me by letting the other boys in on my private thoughts no-so-privately written across my face. Ramb was also my nickname that was more gender neutral and made me feel more like one of the boys when we played all day together.

 

     "But I want to see what a crotch-licker looks like!" Taylor whines, "Let's just get closer to their yard...."

     We let our bikes fall into the slightly tarred ditch and walk across the small circle road and enter a copse of trees to peek over the fence at the grey house.

     A door opens and two women emerge--one with a child holding her hand and another with a child on her hip.

     "Aw...it's just a family," Randy whispers disappointingly.

     "Do you wanna watch kids all day or play Indians and cowboys in our fort?!" Kevin whispers loudly.

     "Yeah. Lets get outta here. I don't know what crotch-lickers are." Taylor announces and turns away.

     I watch a little longer as the children are placed down in what looks like a sandbox. The women hold hands with each other and I could get lost observing the affection shared in this moment with this family.

     "Ramb!" It's Kevin. "Come on! Stop being such a girl!"

     I turn feeling slightly less heated in the face and warmer in my heart just realizing a family like this exists in my part of the world.